Kolkata cardiologist struck off medical register

Jayanarayan Naik, Director, Cardiology & Cathelab Services, Medical Superspeciality Hospital, Kolkata was found to be negligent as a treating physician in a case related to the death of one of his patients.

The MCI order came on an appeal against the order of Orissa Medical Council filed by Jayeeta Verma Sarkar, the daughter of the patient R S Verma, a retired air force officer, who died following Naik's treatment.

"It was decided that Dr Jayanarayan Naik was negligent as a treating physician and his name should be removed from Medical Register for a period of 03 (three) months starting from the date of issue of the letter," said a letter from MCI's deputy secretary Anshu Sethi Bajaj to the Registrar, Office of Orissa Council of Medical Registration.

The issue was taken up by the Ethics Committee of MCI which decided to hand the punishment to the doctor at its meeting on March 17.

The letter also states that, "The Ethics Committee after hearing both the parties and going through the available records, unanimously decided that Dr Jayanarayan Naik, Cardiologist, had not given the high risk informed form to the patient/attendant of the patient, which was a necessary procedure in this case."

The People for Better Treatment, an organisation working for the promotion of better healthcare, has alleged that even after the MCI order, Naik continues to work in the hospital and demanded stern action against him which ensures that he does not treat patients any more.

Its president Kunal Saha has also alleged "corruption" in the Orissa Medical Council, accusing it of "shielding errant doctors without caring for the lives of the patients".